Mail-bag catcher.



W. A. CARPENTER.

MAIL BAG GATGHER.

ARPLIOATION FILED MAR.4, 1910.

976,041 Patented No'v.15,'1910.

2 SHEETS-8HEET 1.

W. A. CARPENTER.

MAIL BAG OATGHERL APPLICATION FILED NARA, 1910.

Patented N0 v.15, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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7 ran, a citizen of the United States of below the eyes 4:. A similarWILLIAM A. CARPENTER, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

MAIL-BAG GATCI-IER.

976,041. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 4, 1910.

To all whom it may concern: 1 rectangular form and provided with eyes 4Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. CARrnN- i at opposite sides thereof andsimilar eyes 5 frame 6 also Patented Nov. 15, 1910. Serial No. 547,344.

America, residing at Charlotte, in the formed of a county of Mecklenburgand State of North lar form of substantially the same size as Carolina,have invented new and useful Im the frame and is disposed in parallelrelaprovements in Mail-Bag Catchers, of which I tion to the frame 3, andconnecting these the following is a specification. l two frames is areticulated wire cloth This invention relates to mail bag catchscreen orprotector 7 which extends around ers, and one of the principal objectsof the between the frames 3 and 6 and holds them same is to provide amail bag catcher of in parallel relation, as shown. Extending simpleconstructlon which is adapted to i from end to end and across the frame3 is swing out from the door of a mail car and I a reticulated metaldoor 8 which 18 adapted to catch a mail bag suspended from a crane/ tolit in the door opening 2 of the car. A at the station while the trainis passing reticulated metal catcher or basket is formed the station atthe usual speed.

of metal rod frame bars 9 provided with Another object of the inventionis to prohooks 10 at their rear ends, said frame bars vide a combinedwire fabric door and basket 1 being curved at their front portions, asat for catching a mail bag suspended from a l 12, and Connected byupright members 13. crane, said door and basket being hinged to I Thiscatcher or basket is covered with I I the door open ng of the car andadapted to be I reticulated metal fabric 14 at the sides and swung outin position for use whenever/ bottom. On the frame bars 6 downwardlyrequired. projecting hooks 15 are provided, and a latch 16 is alsoconnected to said frame. The hooks 15 are adapted to be pivoted in eyes17 secured to the door frame of the car, and the latch 16 is adapted tobe used for holding the door closed.

The crane consists of a post 18 having at its upper end a yoke 19.Mounted in the yoke is an oval-shaped supporting device 20 for the rodor arm 21. The supporting device is provided with integral trunnions 22,and these trunnions are pivoted in bearing plates 23 secured to theupper ends of the yoke 19. The arm or rod 21 is adjustably of a mail carshdwing the reticulated door connected to the supporting device 20 byand bag catcher hinged in the door opening means of set screws 21 whichextend through and closed to form a ventilating door and the ring andbearing upon the arm 21 to catcher. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thehold it in adjusted position. At the outer door and catcher removed fromthe door end of the arm 21 is a spring metal bag opening, thereticulated fabric being partly sup sort comprising a ring 25 havingoutbroken away. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of wardly projecting members26 and a spring the entire device for suspending and catch- 27 connectedto the arm 21 at a central point ing the mail bag. Fig. 4E is a detailperand provided with downwardly extending spective view of the crane andbag support. spring feet 28 which normally bear against Referring to thedrawing, the numeral 1 the projections 26 to hold a mail bag 29designates the side of a mail car provided suspended from the arm 21 bymeans of the with a door opening 2. The combined door ring 30 engagingthe projection 26 underand catcher for the mail bag comprises a neaththe spring feet 28, as shown more rectangular frame 3 preferably formedof a particularly in Fig. 4:. At the opposite end of the arm 21 a chain31 is connected to a metal rod of the required gage for the pur-. pose,said rod being bent into substantially ring 32 on the arm, the oppositeend of the Still another object of the invention is to provide a cranehaving a ring pivoted to the upper end thereof and a mail bag supportingarm adjustably mounted in the ring and having a spring device forholding a bag in position to be caught by the catcher on the movingtrain, said arm being held in horizontal position by means of a chainconnected to the arm and crane.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the constructionillustrated in l the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of a portion chain being connected to astaple 33 and the post 18 to hold the arm 21 in horizontal position andto permit said arm to be lowered for permitting the bag tobe suspendedtherefrom. Formed upon the upper bar of the frame 6 are loops 34: saidloops being bent downwardly, as shown in Fig. 2. Stops 35 are secured tothe side of the car to prevent the door from rising to detach the samefrom the eyes 117.

The operation of my invention may be briefly described as follows:-,Themail bag 29 is connected to the arm 21 in the manner already described,and the chain 31 is connected; to the staple 33 to hold the arm. 21 inhorizontal position. When the car is nearing a. station, the catcher isthrown in the position shown in Fig, 3. by disconnecting the latch. 16and swinging the door outward until one edge thereof rests against theside of the car with the basket projected in the direction of movementof the train. As the train passes the crane, the bag 29 is pro jected.against the loop. 3% to detach the bag from the spring supporting deviceand to drop the same within the catcher or basket. It will be understoodthat the arm, 21 is of sufficient height to pass over the top. of thedoor of the car and that the loops 34: are at the required height to hitthe bag above a central, point to detach it from the springsuspendingdevice. Whenever it is desired to use the basket or catcher for bundlesof mail the basket may be adjusted vertically by placing the hooks 5 inthe rings t, thus holding. the same at the required height for thepurpose. The hooks 15 may have upwardly projecting points, and thebasketcan be reversed to. either side of the car door when the train isrunning in either direction.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that my invention is of simpleconstruction, can be made of wire cloth of the required gage l l aseries of projecting metal slight cost, is reliable in operation andrequires but little attention.

1.. A combined door and mail bag catcher consisting of metal frameshaving reticulated metal fabric covers forming a door and a basket orcatcher connected thereto, means for suspending the door and basket inthe door opening of a car, and means adjacent to the t ad: forsuspending a mail bag in position to be detached therefrom by contactwith the basket.

2. A mail bag catcher comprising a reticulated metal door, a reticulatedadjustable basket or catcher connected to the frame, metal detachingloops connected to the upper side of the frame, means for adjusting thebasket vertically in the frame, and a crane provided with an adjustablearm having means for detachably suspending a bag therefrom.

for the purpose at 3. A mail bag catcher comprising a reticu-' latedmetal door frame and catcher, in combination with a crane comprising apost, a yoke secured to the post, a support pivoted to the yoke, port,means for holding the arm in hori- Zontal position, and means foryieldingly suspending a mail bag upon the outer end of the arm.

t. A mail bag catcher comprising a reticulated metal door having acurved basket or catcher adjustably connected thereto, means for hingingthe door and basket in the door opening of a car, a crane provided witha pivoted arm, means for folding said arm in horizontal position, andmeans for supporting a mail bag on the outer end of the arm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. CARPENTER.

\Vitnesses J. B. CARPENTER, J. \V. CARPENTER.

an arm adjustable in the sup

